2023 Election: World Institute for Peace urges FG to fortify Nigeria against political violence

The World Institute for Peace has urged the federal government to fortify the country against political violence.

This is coming as the country’s general elections are approaching.

WIP disclosed this in a statement signed by WIP Executive Director, Lamina Kamiludeen Omotoyosi, on Friday, January 20, 2023.

“It is dejected that as the 2023 presidential election is coming up in Nigeria series of political thuggery activities are happening every day without a tangible caution from the governments of the victim states,” the statement reads.

“This calls for international concern.”

WIP maintained that there is a need for the government at all levels to take proactive steps to put an end to this minacious act.

Omotoyosi stressed that this should not be allowed to linger for a long time because the havocs it has caused especially in Osun and Oyo states respectively are in no small measure according to verifiable reports.

“As the country is approaching the 2023 presidential election, it is very necessary for the federal government to put in top-gear, measures to stop any act of thuggery and banditry in the country.

“Meanwhile, the way political thugs are grouping in the southwest especially Oyo and Osun states obviously, it is becoming unbearable and this needs a very weighty action to halt its growth,” he stated.

He also decried how political thugs are moving freely, especially in the aforementioned states and other parts of the country.

He stated that it is already sending panic to the minds of the citizenry of the country.

According to Omotoyosi, the banditry in some parts of the northern parts of the country is already creating a threat to the hope of conducting a peaceful election. The way unknown gunmen are killing people in the eastern parts of the nation is but a danger to the free and credible 2023 presidential election in Nigeria.

“Any form of violence must be tackled before any election to ensure a peaceful, fair, and democratic process of electing the leaders of any country,” he concluded.